The key facts

  • A 17-year-old driver of a Malibu 2 with illegal emergency lights and a fake plate was fined 6.6 million soums
  • The Kyrgyz citizen who made and sold fake plates was fined 66 million soums and will be expelled after paying the fine
  • Earlier, a similar car (a Kia) with a minor at the wheel was stopped in the Mirzo-Ulugbek district

What happened

In the Yunusabad district of Tashkent, traffic police officers stopped a Malibu 2 driven by a 17-year-old teenager. During an inspection conducted in the presence of witnesses, it turned out that the car was illegally fitted with a special antenna, a siren and flashing lights, the windshield was tinted without permission, and a state registration plate was found in the trunk. This was reported by the press service of the capital's police department (GUVD), noting that, according to the young man, he had taken the car from his older brother and the plate from a friend. A criminal case was opened on charges of plate forgery (the GUVD statement was published on its Telegram channel).

Investigation and detention

As Gazeta.uz writes, the investigation revealed that these individuals had committed similar violations before: in the Mirzo-Ulugbek district, a Kia was stopped, also driven by a minor, equipped with a radio, a siren, flashing lights, tinted windows and fake plates. It was established that the plates were made by a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, Ergashev; they were ordered from abroad and sold. He was detained with material evidence in the Andijan region.

Verdict

The Yunusabad district criminal court found the minor guilty under subparagraphs 'a, b' of Part 3 of Article 227-1 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (forgery of state license plates) and, applying mitigation under Article 57 of the Criminal Code, imposed a fine of 15 BRW — 6.6 million soums; a public mentor was also appointed for him through the children's affairs commission under the khokimiyat. The citizen of Kyrgyzstan was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 127 (involving a minor in a crime) and subparagraphs 'a, b' of Part 3 of Article 227-1 of the Criminal Code, and was fined 150 BRW — 66 million soums. The outlets differ on the details of the expulsion: Gazeta.uz writes that after paying the fine, Ergashev will be expelled from the country, UzNews.uz — while it reports that the question of expulsion will be decided after the fine is paid.